Life in Beverly Hills
by briannawrites
Summary: Staying at the top of the social ladder is hard enough when you're facing challenges. But, for the residents of Beverly Hills, staying at the top could end in a life or death situation. Lives will change, romance will blossom and somebody might not make it. Multicouples.
1. Sensing Trouble

**Life in Beverly Hills**

- _Sensing Trouble_ -

* * *

If there was one thing that Maryse Ouellet knew for sure, it was that falling in love was something she wasn't cut out for. It wasn't like she hadn't tried before, it was just her over-the-top, high-maintenance personality that tends to drive the opposite sex, well and everybody, away. The only living thing that would love her was her small pooch, Pumpkin.

Living in a quiet neighborhood on the edge of Beverly Hills, the French-Canadian rarely had visitors at her large townhouse. But, she always made sure to keep an eye out for men who lurked around her house. Yes, she didn't have many long-term lovers, but one area she excelled in was luring men into her bedroom and showing them a good time - even if that "good time" only lasted an hour or two.

Despite what everybody thinks of her, she does try and be polite in the presence of others; it just doesn't seem to always match up with her overall bitchy attitude towards the positive sides of things.

But, today - today would be different. She already was putting forth effort and energy to be a better person. She had just applied for an internship at a world famous fashion designer's office, which means that she has her first interview today. She was anxious, and for the first time in her life she feels ready to enter the adult world, and communicate with people - which, let's be honest, she has never really been good at doing. In all honesty, the only form of communication she was a master in was persuasion or kissing.

Maryse was well on her way to a good, positive start to her busy day, when she got her car out of the garage - only to be surprised with an old Mercedes running right into the side of her newly painted Porsche. Her patience had officially gone away, and she couldn't focus on her interview any longer. Not until she got a few words off of her chest.

"What the hell! Why don't you look where you're going next time?" The blonde dove out of her car, meeting up with a man who she was instantaneously mesmerized by.

"I am so sorry, ma'am. I wasn't paying attention! I will pay for any damage I've done, promise."

The man had sweet, baby blue eyes that shined just like the ocean as it was crashing onto the shore. His hair was trimmed and precise, proving how cleanly-cut he was. Maryse was literally at a loss for words, for probably the first time in her life.

"Ma'am? Are you alright?"

He even had a twain, a sweet, country twain. It made her heart flutter, just listening to the sound of his smooth voice - it echoed in her head.

"What? Oh, yeah - I'm fine." Maryse took a deep breath and tried to control herself from exploding before the man. "I'm Maryse." She stuck her hand out in treaty, signaling for a handshake.

"I'm Ted." Ted was confused, in the least. Just a minute ago this woman was yelling and preparing to raise all hell, but in an instant she controlled herself and shook his hand. It was like he had scared her into trusting him, or like he had given her a reason not to pound him right then and there into the cement beneath their feet.

Maryse took her hand back, grabbing onto her left wrist that she must have jammed when the cars impacted. She was so angry at the time, so she didn't even notice that her wrist had begun to swell.

"That's a serious injury." Ted lightly put his hand on the swollen limb and blew a little on it. As he did, he made eye contact with Maryse, who was seemingly enjoying this moment.

She couldn't take this man - what with him and all his perfection he'd shown...she was falling for him so hard. The blonde was beginning to lose all control and she could tell what she was about to do next. Before even thinking about it all of the way, she grabbed his face with both her sore wrist, and her healthy one, bringing his face ever-so closely to hers. She wrapped her lips around his and pressed herself with a lot of pressure, right up against him.

Before either of them knew it, they were inside Maryse's large, expensive townhouse, doing something that neither of them had planned on doing that day.

* * *

"If it walks like a duck, and it talks like a duck."

Eve was usually the type to see the best in people, and she never judged a person based on their appearance or attitude. But, surprisingly after entering her first year at community college, every little aspect that she'd grown up believing in was suddenly torn apart - practically demolished at the seams.

Leaning against a stack of textbooks, Eve pointed over at a group of girls who were studying for an upcoming exam.

"They're the type of people I look out for."

Kelly Blank was trying her best to bring out the old Eve Torres, but it just wasn't working anymore. Now they were standing up in a school's library, making fun of the girls that they used to be friends with back in their senior year.

The blonde shifted in her stance, feeling a little cold. She wasn't the kind of person to be doing what she was doing - but if Eve was doing it then it must be okay. Or at least that's what Kelly's mom had always told her. She was just always soft around the edges, but something on this campus had changed her, something had hardened those edges and spoiled everything inside.

"Eve, I think we should head back up to our room now. We've finished what we needed to," she mumbled. Kelly pulled a piece of fallen hair behind her ear and watched as Eve shook her head.

"Finished?" Eve chuckled a small laugh. "Please, I've just begun."

Eve walked over in her dominating structure and bent over at the table where all of the studying students sat. Kelly couldn't hear what she was telling them, but one by one they all began to rise from their seats and leave the library. Then, before Kelly could go over and stop it from ending, Eve had sent the last of them running.

"I guess they really wanted to donate to a couple of freshmen." The brunette sat down at the once-occupied table and propped her feet up on the table.

Shaking her head, Kelly walked over to her seated "friend" and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"What has gotten into you, lately? Do you even know who those girls were?"

Eve twisted her devious smile, so that her lips her puckered. She shook her head and fixed her hair.

"A couple of college girls. I've sat here everyday since the first day of school, Kelly. I wasn't about to let some random school-girls overthrow me!"

"From what? Your high-pedestal of shame? Eve, you're nothing but a conceited bitch."

Both girls turned towards the librarian, who hushed them. Turning to face each other again, Eve looked surprised but not upset - almost as if she had testes Kelly to say something like that to her. But the ice Kelly was walking on was thin, even too thin for her to think she could get away with talking to her friend that way.

"Listen to me, and listen carefully." Eve stood up, ignoring the librarian's request to being courteous for the other students in attendance. "I've known you too long to let you talk to me like you just did. I practically own you, Kelly. You think you can leave me? Try making it on your own in this school, just try, I dare you. You'll come running back within seconds."

Kelly looked at Eve, and she was genuinely shocked. She'd seen that same face hundreds of times in the past, but there was something so different about her this time, and it wasn't a good thing.

"You don't think I can make it around here on my own?"

Eve laughed, grabbing her stomach as she slightly rocked back. "If you think you can, then you're sadly mistaken."

The blonde looked around and saw how everyone who was once quietly reading their novels or studying for their exams were now facing the two "friends." They were all watching intently, waiting for one of them to hit the other probably, but they cared too much about going to this school to ruin their chances that fast. Even the librarian was focused more on the two young-adults than her paperwork which was probably needing to be filled out as soon as possible.

Kelly turned her attention back to the green-eyed monster, that was formerly Eve. It was surprising how fast something could change the way that Eve had.

"Watch me."

* * *

John Cena - strong, smart and not bad on the eyes - you'd think with all of those things going for him, that he wouldn't be so lost in his own little world. But his world didn't seem to have directions printed out for him. His first day in the real world was hard for him. Nobody was there to clean his messes, nobody was there to make him dinner or make his bed. He had to learn everything about living on his own...well, on his own.

And, despite everybody's attempt to teach him how to use a laundry machine, the only household equipment he can manage is a coffee machine. So, every morning he just goes into his kitchen and he pours himself a cup of coffee, not really sure about what the day has planned for him.

He only had a few close friends who lived in Beverly Hills, none of them being nearly as rich as he was. He could have had millions of dollars spewing out of his air conditioning vents, and he wouldn't see a problem.

"Are you even going to the party tonight?"

John looked over at his current girlfriend, Nikki Bella. She _was _as rich as him, maybe even a little bit more. He knew that she was only with him for the money and power, but she was too hot to let her get away from him.

"I don't know, I still need to unpack." John scratched the back of his head, thinking about going to the party that night. It was highly exclusive, and only a few people got invited, him being one of those people.

Nikki rolled her eyes and brushed her hair behind her ear. The couple was laying in John's bed, with her head resting softly on his rising and falling chest. She knew that her feelings towards John were momentary, and that the two probably wouldn't last long, but she knew that through everything they needed to try. People were counting on them, and she wasn't going to let them down.

"C'mon, babe. People are counting on us to be there, together!" She looked up at him, directly in the eyes. She pouted her lips, begging him. "Pleeeeaase?" She elongated the word, making her point. She wanted him to go, she really did.

John sighed - it wasn't that he didn't want to be there with her, he just didn't want to be at the party all together. To him, parties weren't even all that fun, especially when they're filled with drunken idiots who will literally sleep with the first person they see at the first open, cushioned area they see. Even if that area isn't cushioned at all.

"Parties just aren't my thing."

"What are you talking about? In college they were the only things you went to." Nikki sat up so that she could see his face and not his chest.

He was getting frustrated as he talked about this. He didn't want to keep explaining himself, especially because he knew that he didn't owe the girl any explanation.

"I just don't want to go, okay?" John stood up and rolled off of the bed. He walked into his bathroom, doing his best to ignore the brunette woman, who still sat seductively in his bed.

"Why are you being so damn difficult? You owe me, Cena."

"I don't owe you anything, Nikki. If anybody owes anything, it's you." He took a step out of the bathroom and talked to her. He wasn't even really engaged in the conversation.

Nikki stood up, off of the bed, and walked over to him. She stood in front of him and looked at him - right in the eyes again.

"I've been helping you out around this old house, and I deserve a break. This party is our chance to really become a power couple, babe." Wrapping her arms around his neck, she brought her face closely to his; almost to the point where she was kissing his lips. "Don't you want to be happy? I can make you happy."

Closing the gap between them, Nikki pressed her lips around his and pulled him back towards the bed, resting him on top of her.


	2. Enough is Enough

**CHAPTER TWO**

_-Enough is Enough-  
_

* * *

"Did she really kick them out of their table?" Alicia was used to hearing bad things about Eve, but she couldn't remember the last time that something _this _bad had happened. Normally she just embarrassed someone, or threatened to steal their boyfriend. But she never purposefully got rid of someone who actually liked her.

Kelly had invited Alicia to lunch after her confrontation with Eve the other day. She was lost for words and she didn't want to be alone.

"She just walked up to them and whispered to them. One by one they all ran out of there like the building was on fire."

The blonde took a sip of her latte and sighed. She was really disappointed in the way she had reacted, but even more in the way that Eve had talked to her. They were such good friends, but something changed.

"What happened to her? She used to be so sweet, so down-to-earth." Alicia shook her head. The outdoor café was convenient for her, and the wind was amazing to feel.

"I have no idea. It's like she's possessed."

The brunette giggled. The thought of Eve being possessed by the devil, or something like that was somehow funny to her. Perhaps it was the visual of her having a red face and pitch black eyes. Even though that wasn't far from the way she acts - bitter and cold.

"So, have you met any cute boys at college yet?"

Kelly smiled and her cheeks turned a bright shade of red. She didn't have much luck with boys, but she knew love when she saw it - even if that love didn't exactly last as long as she had expected it to. But, actually thinking about life at college, she realized that she hadn't met many people that she was attracted to in that "love me, I'm yours" kind of way. Every boy was either stuck-up or their heads were too high in the clouds that they couldn't even bother to notice her sitting right in front of them in trigonometry.

"There just haven't been any guys that have caught my eye yet." She put her straw in her mouth and drew up another sip of her latte. "But, trust me - I'm still looking."

"Good! I can't imagine you being single for long."

"What's that supposed to mean? I can be single for as long as I do please."

Shaking her head, the brunette giggled. In high school, Kelly was only single for, maybe, a total of six months. She would sometimes date random guys in the middle just because she got too lonely in her bedroom on Friday nights. And then on the weekends, she always needed desert after dinner - and lunch, and breakfast sometimes.

"Kelly, you love being in relationships almost as much as you love boys. You're just lucky that the two go together."

Kelly looked at her friend through their straws that stuck up from their special drinks on the table. The wind was blowing the tablecloth around a little bit, making it harder to control their drinks as they sipped away at them, emptying them one sip at a time. The blonde shook her head and blew some hair out of her face.

"I like being in love." She shrugged. It was the honest-truth, but she didn't need to be in love to survive. It was just something she liked being in.

"You're weird." Alicia teased.

Kelly smiled at the brunette, this time it wasn't sarcastic, but genuine. It was true: she did like being in love. The feeling of having someone to depend on, and knowing that there is a person out there who is in love with her was a feeling that she couldn't shake away. It was like having a stuffed animal as a child, you don't need it but it ultimately makes you feel special.

"Whatever." Kelly stood up. "I'm going to pay, I'll be right back."

The blonde turned around to exit the table when she bumped into a waiter carrying a tray with two coffee cups on it. As they collided, the coffee cups spilled all over the man, covering - and most likely burning - his chest. She quickly covered her mouth, completely embarrassed.

"I am so sorry!"

The man knelt down and began to pick up the plastic cups. "No, it's fine. I need to pay better attention to where I'm walking with these things."

"Oh, please! I'm a klutz. Here, let me help." Kelly knelt down too, sitting eye-level with the man.

His eyes were a light shade of blue, and his hair was covering the top of his head, with not a single bald-spot. He was wearing the casual-styled café uniform, which she knew he just had to hate more than even working at this old place to begin with.

"Thanks." The man said, quietly. He was shocked that she had helped him. "Most people would've stormed off and left me to clean this up alone."

"Well, I'm not most people."

The two kneeling strangers stood back up. Kelly reached out her hand and smiled, brightly.

"I'm Kelly Blank."

"Cody Rhodes."

The two shook hands, and they smiled. Cody looked over and saw that Alicia was covering her mouth and was grinning from ear to ear.

"I think that your friend wants you." Cody pointed back at Alicia, who was still smiling, only a little less painful looking.

Kelly turned around to find Alicia giving her one of those "I know you're falling for this guy," looks. The blonde shook her head slightly, giving her a look that read "No, I'm not. Now back off!"

"She's not a very social person." Kelly added, turning back to Cody. "We're working on her 'people skills'."

Cody laughed, making Kelly's heart flutter a little bit. _His laugh is so damn cute! _Kelly was trying not to blush at this point, but she was coming to the realization that Alicia may have been right. _Screw you, Alicia. Now I am falling for him. _

"Well, I better get back to work. I sort of like having enough money to pay for college." He joked.

"Oh, of course. I guess I'll see you around, then. Bye." She waved and turned back to Alicia. They both gave each other excited looks, but then the brunette's small smile faded.

"Go pay for our stuff now."

* * *

_What the hell is going on with everybody today?_

Living on the top floor of the most popular apartment complex in all of Beverly Hills - doesn't that just sound like something everybody would want to do? Just living in this city is a privilege, but getting to live in an expensive penthouse that overlooks every little thing that this beautiful place has to offer? That's like getting your favorite cake, and getting to eat it too.

But for a spiteful AJ Lee, she just couldn't seem to ever get left alone up there. Everyday there was another person, just begging to go inside of her room. They all wanted to see what it felt like to be on top of the world, and to live in such a gorgeous palace. But for this brunette, enough was enough.

"Alright, get the hell out of here! I've had enough with all of you today, so get moving!"

AJ had just closed the door on the last group of tourists. She might be one of the most popular actresses that has ever graced the streets of Beverly Hills, but this girl needs a break.

The brunette walked into her bathroom and changed out of her "love bites" t-shirt that she had just bought. Looking into the mirror, she saw how tired she really looked up close. She was barely into her twenties and she could already see how all of the stress of her workdays were affecting her appearance. She already was getting "frown" lines on her mouth and in between her eyebrows.

Nobody would hire her, because not even a hundred pounds of make-up would be able to cover up all of her stress.

When AJ first moved out here last month, she thought that she would be able to handle all of the things that a famous actress is supposed to handle. Red carpets, photo shoots, appearances and autograph signings - those were all a part of the job! So, why was she suddenly so sick of this place, when all she is doing is the same thing that she was doing back in New Jersey?

AJ slowly made her way into the living room where she turned on her flat screen TV.

"Would you look at what's on? Another one of my famous interviews!" She tried to sound excited, but she knew that it must have come out sarcastic.

"You would think that living in the nicest room in all of Beverly Hills would be enough to satisfy a young star, right? Well that doesn't seem to be enough for AJ Lee, from _The Giant_." The anchor for the celebrity gossip channel was already annoying as she was, but when she talked about AJ, it was like she had taken a whole extra bottle of annoying pills.

AJ repeated what the lady had said, in a high-pitched voice, mocking her. It was bad enough to have reporters hounding her daily, but then she has to go home to this? No wonder she doesn't like this place.

She continued to watch the "news," as they called it, until they started talking about her upcoming movie with Dolph Ziggler. AJ wouldn't even let the lady finish his name before she hurled a pillow from her couch at the TV.

Dolph Ziggler - someone that you honestly don't want to know. Sure, he did have good looks, but he wasn't anything special when it came to his acting. He was just a big bowl of washed up talent.

_"Does the bleach in your hair make you say the wrong lines? Because I know you bleach a lot - almost as much as you screw up every word that comes out of your mouth."_

AJ remembered spewing hateful things to him when they were offset waiting for their break to be over. Sometimes she knew she pushed him too far, but messing with him was too much fun.

"They seem to have great chemistry onscreen, but is that only a result of an off screen romance?"

The brunette nearly spit up, even though there was nothing in her mouth to begin with. A romance? With Dolph? _Have they lost their effing minds?_

* * *

Mike Mizanin - literally the only guy in all of Beverly Hills that could be walking down the streets and be devoured by all of the girls. He was simply that loved, by everybody.

He wasn't born in California, yet everybody knew him as "The Californian, Mike Mizanin." Easy to remember, and fun to say. Not even he knew why ever girl seemed to fall on their faces when they were in the presence of him, and he didn't always appreciate it either.

There was only one girl that he wanted - only one girl that he felt like he would rather die than not be with.

Eve Torres.

They met on the first day of school, when Mike ran into her on the way to his advanced French class. She was so beautiful, wearing a new dress that cut off right before her knees. He could tell that she had taken extra time that morning getting ready for a busy first day of school, and her hard work had paid off. She looked perfect to him.

He wasn't "obsessed" with her or anything like that, he was just a little hypnotized by her. Whenever he was around her it was like a symphony was playing in the background. All he could ever think to himself was how much she resembled an angel.

Whether it was in French class, or just in the halls, she was always on his mind. And, when he went home, he usually thought about asking her out but he couldn't ever cook up the words to say to her.

_Chicken. Mike, you're just a chicken. _

He could already feel his cheeks getting flushed, and he was just glad that nobody was around to see it. He was only seen as the bad-ass looking hot guy at his school - he couldn't get a reputation for making goo-goo eyes at girls as they walked down the hallway. That was for people who didn't care about their social status, and Mike Mizanin cares about his social status.

In fact, Mike Mizanin cares so much for his social status that he had already decided that he wouldn't ask Eve out at all. He would just rub his hands together and make her fall in love with him, so she could do all of the hard work. That way, he nor his reputation would get hurt, and he would keep his hands clean in the process.

* * *

**That's it for the second chapter! More interactions in the next one. :)**

**I'm honestly excited for this story! Reviews are love, so please share some love and tell me what you thought of this chapter?**

**Chao~**


	3. No Strings Attached

Thank you to_** xSkittlesRulex, therealchamps, MissAMERICA, **_and_** Kyle **_for reviewing the last chapter. Your support means the world! :)

* * *

**CHAPTER THREE**

_-No Strings Attached-  
_

* * *

So, maybe Maryse isn't cut out for relationships, but she was definitely open for free sex.

"You look so sexy." Ted kissed Maryse's temple and returned his gaze to the ceiling.

It was the third time this week that they had hooked up, and they didn't even realize that they had been dropping other priorities. To them, being together was a main priority, and everything else came second. Even Maryse's internship that she failed to capture because she decided to spread her legs instead of her brains, was completely forgotten amongst other things: Ted.

"Thank you."

She was still out of breath, even though they had just been lying there for fifteen minutes already. Just the thought of them being together was enough for her to lose all air.

The night before had simply begun like any other night, with the two of them talking about their days and discussing popular news; as if they were a regular couple. Maryse absolutely loved that feeling, although it didn't come often. SAnd, the best part was the fact that there weren't any strings attached. They just met up, talked a bit and then got themselves carried away as anybody would under the circumstances. But, these weren't any ordinary "circumstances." Maryse did feel something for the man, she just wasn't exactly sure of what those feelings meant to her.

"I have to get going." Ted sat up, releasing his arm from around the blonde's neck. "I forgot that I have to work today."

"Noooo," she whined. She stretched out the word, thinking that maybe it would resemble how much she really didn't want the man to leave.

Maryse grabbed Ted's arm quickly, pulling him right back down next to her. She then curled over, wrapping her right leg around his waist and pulling him as close to her as he could be. She then reached up with her right hand and caressed his face with her thumb before slowly pulling him back into a steamy, lust-filled kiss.

The sign of embrace ended abruptly when Ted pulled away, out of breath once again.

"Ryse, I really do have to go."

They lied there, looking into each others eyes again. The blonde pouted a little before pecking his soft lips one last time.

"Only because you have to."

Ted smiled and rolled out of bed and walked over to get his stuff. Maryse watched him as he dressed himself up and combed over his hair. She giggled when she saw him trying to get his hair to stay perfectly in place.

"You aren't going to get it to work. You have bed-hair now." Her lips widened into a smile.

"Then what am I supposed to do exactly?" He turned back to the woman who laid sprawled out amongst the sheets. "I need to look polished."

The French-Canadian stood up and wrapped the golden bed sheets around her naked body. She walked over to Ted and smirked, thinking about how it was her who had gotten his hair so messed up - she wasn't sure, but the thought was something she felt proud of. She ran her fingers through his messy hair before nodding.

"I think it looks acceptable now."

Ted put his hand upon the blonde's cheek and smiled a sweet, loving smile. He was always so happy when he got to spend time with Maryse, even if it was only for a few hours at a time. He just couldn't shake the thought of seeing her, of kissing her, of loving her, out of his mind.

"I'll see you soon," he cooed as he began to walk backwards out of her bedroom door.

"How about tomorrow? Or even tonight, if you aren't too busy." Maryse smirked.

"I'll think about it, Maryse."

The man grabbed his coat off of the silver coat rack that stood tall next to Maryse's bedroom door. He walked down the stairs and out of the house, leaving Maryse to stand alone, wrapped in the golden bed sheets.

* * *

Finally, after an entire week of parties and getting sand-bagged by his friends, John could sit in the comfort of his own home - alone.

No Nikki, no loud music and no random girls running about with their tops almost off. He could just sit there, staring at the ceiling fan as it spun around and around in endless circles. It was too exciting, but it made him feel relaxed and at ease. Like, he wasn't stressed out about keeping up the image that Nikki was trying to create for him. He could just be himself; as boring as it sounds.

John sat up from the couch and walked into the kitchen. He opened up the refrigerator and began his search for an ice pack. His head was still pounding after last night's drinking games. Just the memory of him pouring more shots and taking them: it was too much to bare for his aching head.

_"C'mon, babe! One more party, I promise that this one will be fun!"_

He kept repeating Nikki's sentence over and over again in his head - trying to actually find a way for it to be truthful. Sure, the beginning of a party was boring, with all of the introductions and the catching up stories, but once the DJ started to blast the music and the bartender started calling the shots, it became a real party. While the ending was sour, as everyone was too drunk to leave so they all just crashed at the first place they could fit. The only reason he ever went to these huge parties was because Nikki thought it would be a grand idea to shove him around, sticking his hand in everybody's and kissing asses as long as they were attached to a rich wallet.

Just as John was getting back to his comfortable spot on the couch, there was a loud ringing at the door.

"What now, Nikki?" The question just spilled out of his mouth, with no thought behind it.

Stunned, the Latina shot her eyebrows up. "Is that anyway to talk to your girlfriend?" She didn't seem offended as she walked into his house - uninvited - and kissed his cheek.

"I'm busy."

A little chuckle escaped from the brunette's lips. "Busy with what, staring at nothing and stuffing your face with potato chips?"

John scratched his neck and looked away from the woman. Sometimes she just got on his nerves, and he wanted nothing more than to kick her out on her face.

"I wasn't expecting you to drop by so early," he said slily, "I'm not dressed."

"That's never stopped me before." Nikki winked at her boyfriend and put her purse down on the kitchen counter.

Pulling out a fresh stick of cherry colored lipstick and a miniature mirror from her large bag, Nikki began to apply the make-up to her parted lips. Before putting the items away, she puckered her lips and fixed her hair.

_God, she can't get enough attention, can she? _John was getting really tired of her "it's all about me" personality.

"So, I was thinking that tonight we could-"

"-No more parties, Nikki. You promised."

Nikki looked at John in shock. "You aren't just handed the title of being popular, babe. You need to work for it." She smiled at him, trying to look innocent. She reached out to his face, resting her hand on the man's right cheek. "It's an honor."

He gently slapped the girl's hand away from his face and walked over to the refrigerator. "And, what if I don't want to be crowned 'The King of Parties'?"

The Latina followed him into the center of the kitchen. "What has gotten into you? You know, when we first starting going out, you were really into all of this. And, what happened? What, did you suddenly find something better to do with your time?" She crossed her arms over her re-sized chest and popped a hip out to the side.

"I just don't like being in so many crowded places every single night."

"That's bull and you know it, John." Nikki dropped her hands down to the side and started shaking her head. "Why are you being such an ass?"

John's eyes grew wide as he took a sip of the fresh beer that he had just pulled from the top shelf of the fridge. "I'm the ass?"

Before he even had the chance to rethink what he had said, the brunette raised her right hand up and connected it to his cheek in a vicious slap. Pulling away, she returned to the counter. Grabbing her belongings, Nikki looked over at John's vibrating phone. While John was still looking at his hand, after touching his cheek repeatedly, Nikki reached for the black iPhone and unlocked it with the combination she'd memorized - only after she watched him do it a million times.

"Oh, look! A text message from a 'Rosa Mendes'! It says, 'I really loved last night, Johnny. I hope that we can do it again.'"

John darted for his phone, which was tightly being held hostage in the brunette's grasp.

"Give me the damn phone, Nikki."

"Why don't you tell me why you banged a random bitch last night, but still claim that you hate these damn parties!"

Using every ounce of strength the man had in his arm, he pried the phone from her grasp. He threw it down onto the counter and pointed towards his front door. "Get out of my house, and don't even try to come back."

Nikki's stare into John's eyes would be enough to turn a human into stone. She was livid as she yanked her purse up off of the counter and turned towards the door. She looked over at the table that laid next to the old couch that John had in his front room, and she saw the picture frame that held the photo of the couple as they laid on the beach in Hawaii last year. She felt her heart break as she remembered how happy they were, and how happy they looked in the picture. Without even think about what she was doing, the Latina grabbed the picture frame and threw it onto the hardwood floor that surrounded her.

John watched as the brunette exited the house through the front door, and then he walked over to where the now broken into pieces picture frame laid. Kneeling down, he picked up the sharp shreds of glass and put them into the trash, before walking to the fireplace, where he lit a match and burned the happy photo.

* * *

AJ hadn't slept well the night before due to a combination of things: the paparazzi banged on her door and threw rocks all of the way up at her window from lower stories all night long, she had failed to memorize the lines for this morning's shoot and the thought of being involved in a romantic relationship with Dolph Ziggler. Nothing was seeming to go the petite brunette's way at all.

Now that she was entering the studios to film, she had her old reading glasses on and her face was glued to her script, trying to come up with a way to memorize the needed lines before 8:00.

And, it was 7:57.

She had literally paid no attention to any of her surroundings on her way to the studio, and she was almost all of the way through the doors when she ran into the devil himself.

"Oh, if it isn't my 'girlfriend.'" A smirk twisted upon the bleach blonde's face. "How's your morning been, girlfriend?"

AJ looked up to find the man laughing at his own punch line, which only fueled the fire in her. "Did you seem to forget that me being your girlfriend was only in your dreams? Or are you just that stupid and delusional?" This time, it was AJ who led the smirking game.

Dolph nodded and crossed his arms over his chest. "I see that you forgot to read over the lines last night. Too busy thinking of me again?"

"You wish I actually gave a damn about you, Ziggler. But, sadly I'm off-limits."

"On what planet, AJ? You haven't had a boyfriend since the Stone Ages."

She let out a sarcastic "Haha," and then dropped the act. The brunette put her script into her bag and pushed past the tall man. Walking into the studio, she was greeted by the director who simply threw his arms up.

"AJ and Dolph are here, everybody! We can start filming in ten!"

Almost instantly as he spoke the crew began to rush around, pulling the duo in a million different directions. First the shoved AJ off to hair and make-up, and it was there that she was able to read over her lines one last time. Dolph was taken to wardrobe, where he was dressed in a casual-looking outfit, and his hair was just brushed back, out of his face. After AJ was taken to get her clothing picked out, the onscreen couple was reunited back on the set, both decked out head-to-toe in high Beverly Hills fashion.

"Not too bad, Lee." Dolph was mumbling so that nobody else could hear his compliment.

Smirking, AJ nodded slightly. "Don't fall in love with me, Ziggler. We still have to film this movie."

* * *

Maria Kanellis was sitting silently in her dorm room, just catching up on another episode of One Tree Hill. The series had already ended, but that wouldn't stop the redhead from watching the whole show from episode one to the finale.

"All I'm saying is that - oh, Maria...I wasn't expecting you to be home yet."

The redhead looked up from her large bowl of popcorn to find her roommate, Eve Torres, talking with another one of her boys. She had always brought home guys from her classes, sometimes they were from another school, but she usually had the decency to let the woman know.

Maria stood up quickly from her position on the couch, placing the bowl on the glass coffee table. "Sorry, I got done with my classes early." There was a slight awkward pause in conversation. "Who is this?" She gestured towards the boy, who stood there in a quiet pile of embarrassment. She guessed he'd never been with a girl as manipulative as Eve.

"Oh," Eve smiled, "This is Randy. He's from my math class."

Randy simply held up a hand and looked off into the dorm, specifically at nothing in particular.

"Hi, Randy." Maria gave him a friendly wave before grabbing her popcorn bowl and walking into another room that was attached to the main room. "I'll just wait it out."

Eve clenched her jaw and darted an evil look that could pierce through the wooden walls of this dorm room. "So, how about we go sit over there on the couch."

The blue-eyed twenty-year-old walked with Eve over to the couch and sat down right next to her. He watched as the brunette turned off the TV and positioned herself in front of him.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" Randy asked, trying to make sure that neither of them would regret what was about to happen between them.

Maria continued to listen to the pairing through the thin wall of the other room. The way that these dorms were set-up was so that there would be a main living area, where there is a living room and a kitchen, and then a separate room for the bedroom and the bathrooms. The college was smaller than the average, but the rooms were bigger and the whole package was much more expensive. The only reason Maria would even get accepted into this school was by her excellence in Spanish and her free-ride through Volleyball.

The redhead began to feel bad for Randy. He was so sweet, from what it sounded like, and he was polite, too. She thought about how much she wanted to have a guy to treat her the way so many guys treated Eve - or at least the way they treated her before the brunette took over with her slimy, greedy hands.

"Of course, Randy. There isn't anything I want more than to be with you."

Just as they were leaning in, they were interrupted with the sound of popcorn popping in the microwave. Eve turned to see Maria, blowing on her nails as she waited in the kitchen for her snack to finish.

"Oh, hi!" Maria exclaimed, and she gave the two a little wave.

Looking back at Randy, who was covering his mouth with the back of his hand to stop from laughing, Eve pardoned herself before running over to the redhead.

"What do you think you're doing?" Eve was whispering, but even her whisper sounded loud and angry.

Maria shrugged. "I got hungry."

"You have an entire bowl of popcorn in the other room, just eat that." Eve was growing more annoyed by the second.

The redhead crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side, giving her a sentimental face. "Did you really think I was going to let you ruin another guy's life? And, with Randy? He's so sweet and kind, Eve."

"And? What's your point?"

"My point is, this is the sixth guy you've brought home this month. If you keep this up you won't be popular, you'll just be the city-wide slut."

Eve smiled a dishonest smile and put her hand on her roommate's shoulder. "If you're so concerned about the guys I'm with, then why don't you just take them from me first?"

Maria could tell that Eve was being sarcastic, thinking that she wouldn't actually do anything to go against the brunette's wishes. But, before Eve could stop her, Maria walked away from the kitchen and over to Randy.

"I just thought I'd warn you; Eve has been doing some 'unprotected' things, if you catch my drift. So, if you want, you can come with me and go get some pizza."

Randy looked up at Maria's gorgeous eyes. They were all he noticed about her at first, but then he heard her voice - so smooth and sweet, like he was listening to the waves of the ocean crash into the shore. And her hair was so neatly parted, brushed off to the sides where she felt comfortable having the strands. Everything about her seemed comfortable, and that was so opposite from Eve.

"I mean, if you're okay staying around here..."

The boy stood up and grabbed Maria's hand, before running out the door. Eve looked as they ran past her, with Mara sticking her tongue out at the brunette the whole way out.


	4. Unhealthy

Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter! It warms my heart. :)

I hope that you all enjoy chapter four. It's been a work in progress for a little over a week now...enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER FOUR**

_- Unhealthy -_

* * *

The only thing better than receiving your first paycheck at your first job, is receiving your last one. That way you know that all of your hard work that you put in, is finally paying off.

At least, that's how Cody felt on his last day at the Beverly Hills Café.

"Today is the first day of the rest of my life."

Cody looked over at his friend, Damien, who sat beside him in his passenger seat of the car. He almost looked like he wasn't impressed with the year's worth of effort Cody had put into his job working at the old place.

"What?" Cody stopped the car at a stoplight and turned to face the man. "I've been working there everyday for a year, and now I'm finally done."

"You really think that this little paycheck is going to cover your college expenses?" A small chuckle came from the man's mouth and he smiled as he watched the scenery go by through the window.

"I've made more than just what's on this single paycheck." Cody sighed and began to drive again. "Plus, this one at least covers a day worth of meals.

Damien rolled his eyes. The guy was like his closest friend, but he knew enough to realize that he was being delusional.

"Whatever, man."

The driver pulled up to his University and stepped out of the car. "Come back and pick me up at eight tonight."

"Why are you staying up here so late?"

"I have a test tomorrow, and I'm not getting kicked out of this place because of a bad scoring."

Damien unbuckled his seat belt and moved over so that he was in the driver's seat. Closing the door and putting the car in _forward_, the man sped quickly out of the parking lot and onto the empty street. Cody turned and started walking up the many steps that lead to the University's front door. He pushed past the glass door and walked his way into the library where he saw a petite blonde reading a textbook in the back of the room. He entered the room and quietly walked all of the way to the back, where he sat down next to the girl he'd met the other day.

"It's Kelly, right?" He asked Kelly, with a sweet smile.

Looking up from her book, Kelly smiled when she saw the man. "Yes, it is. And, you're Cody?"

Cody nodded and laughed a little bit. "How to Kill a Mockingbird?" He asked, gestured to the book that was resting in the blonde's hands.

A little giggle left her lips. "I was bored."

"But, didn't we read that in like, our freshman year of High School?"

Kelly put the book down and looked at Cody with smiling eyes. "Why are you here?"

Cody sat back and put his hands out, showing that he was about to talk about the school as a whole. "I go here."

"To UCLA? You?" Kelly was shocked, and a little confused. "You didn't mention that when we met the other day."

"I didn't know that I was supposed to."

The two newly antiquated strangers laughed together quietly. They tried not to make any excessive noise, as they were aware of the moody attitude of the librarian. They felt so comfortable around each other, and they barely knew each other. It was odd, but they knew how they felt.

"So, how's work at the café?"

Cody closed his lips tightly. "I'm done with that place, I got my last paycheck today."

"You quit your job?" Kelly asked him, shocked. She was sitting back in her chair, relaxed, but when she heard his comment she instantly leaned forward to understand.

"I turned my notice in months ago, but they just told me - a few weeks ago - that I could be released. I got my paycheck this morning, and I left." Smiling, Cody looked into Kelly's bright blue eyes.

"Well, it's awesome that you finally get to be 'free.'" The blonde brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and opened up her book again. "If you don't mind, I do have some homework that I need to get to finishing."

Standing up, Cody held up both hands, reassuring her that it was okay. "I honestly can't remember why I came in here now. But, uh, now that I know where to find you, do you think we could make this little meet-up a regular thing?" He bit his bottom lip, almost embarrassed that he asked her. He really wanted to spend time with her, but he was nervous that she would think he might be coming on too strong for a first run-in.

Looking back up, Kelly's eyes grew wide. "Uh, I guess. I'll be in here tomorrow at two, for studying." She finished her sentence off with a smile.

* * *

Hours had passed by, and not one sound had come out of Maria's pressed roommate.

Even when the redhead poured her 'friend' a cup of coffee, and set it down on the coffee table - right in front of her - she didn't move or say a word. It was like she had seen a ghost, and now she was in the middle of a staring contest with the DVD player.

"Eve, I know that you were mad at me for what I did the other day, but that's no reason to starve yourself."

Eve finally looked up at the woman and gave her a twisted look. "Don't look so gravely happy that you messed with me. I won't give you that kind of satisfaction."

"It's unhealthy to do this all day, everyday. Get out of this dorm!"

"Why should I? I have nothing to see and nobody to be seen with. What's the point in doing anything if I have nothing worth my time?"

Maria looked at the girl, and saw how upset her eyes were. Like someone had physically taken all of the lights from her world, and she was barely breathing inside of a deep, dark abyss. She walked over and sat adjacent from her roommate on the couch and took a deep breath.

"This is about more than me going on a date with Randy, isn't it?"

Returning her gaze to the blank TV screen, the brunette sighed. "My father called me yesterday. He told me that he isn't doing so well, and that he is going in for an MRI."

Speechless - Maria sat there, staring at her. How was she supposed to comfort someone who barely even had a heart to comfort in the first place?

"Oh."

Eve chuckled and wiped away a tear. "Oh? Yes, thanks. I needed another person to sit there without any thoughts." Standing up, the brunette walked into her bedroom and closed the door, locking it quickly. She turned around and slid down the face of the door until she was seated on the floor.

* * *

"How have you been holding up, sis?"

Nikki looked up from her mirror to see her twin sister, Brie, standing behind her. It had only been a few days since she and John broke it off, but she couldn't help herself - she needed to party.

"I'm fine." Nikki sighed and resumed applying facial powder to her cheeks. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be, after all."

Brie rolled her eyes as she watched her sister prepare for yet another Beverly Hills party. "I can't believe you are actually going to this party tonight. Can't you take a little break from the spotlight?"

"You don't get it!" Nikki put down her brush and finished off with a quick glossing of her lips. "I lost my job and now I've lost John so these parties are the only thing I have. If I step back from all of the fun I'll just drown in my own pity."

The Latina turned around to her sister and smiled wickedly. She knew how much her twin disapproves of her lifestyle, but at times like this, she didn't care. She was the one with a job, a boyfriend and a huge house that she got to think about every night, while all Nikki got to do was lie in her bed, wishing she would have something remotely close to that.

"Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a limo waiting for me outside."

"Nikki, you're almost thirty. Shouldn't you be thinking about settling down and starting a family about now?" Brie crossed her arms over her chest and looked deeply into her sister's eyes.

Stuffing herself into an extremely tight-fitting dress, Nikki adjusted herself in the vanity mirror. She began to fluff her hands with her fingers as she made a pouting face in the mirror to check her lip gloss. "I don't want kids."

Brie remained unconvinced. "Growing up you used to plan your fairytale wedding and you even named your two children before you were old enough to have any, and now you're telling me that you don't want any of that?"

"That's what I'm saying."

"Then why don't I believe you?"

Quickly, the temperature of the room increased dramatically. The two Latina sisters turned to face one-another as Nikki dropped her black clutch.

"Why do you even care where I end up in my life? You have everything you've ever wanted, you get to slow down now."

Startled, Brie threw her head back. "You think I'm satisfied with my life? I've been in a relationship with a man who won't propose. I'm most likely headed nowhere."

Nikki let out a small - sarcastic - laugh. "Daniel loves you, and he isn't afraid of settling down. But, maybe he _is _afraid of spending the rest of his life with the uglier twin." Looking her twin up-and-down, Nikki raised her eyebrows as if she had proven her point; using Brie's appearance as evidence.

Putting her hand on her heart, Brie took a step closer. "I'm the hottest twin, or at least that's what everyone in high school said."

"Oh, really? And, did they also come to mention how most of the guys you went out with only asked you out because they thought you were me?"

"If you're so perfect then why did you get a boob job to enhance your image?"

Nikki glared at her sister and grabbed her purse from behind her. "Grow up, bitch." Leaving with that, Nikki exited the room and walked down the stairs until she was at her front door.

"Go ahead, run away from your problems. But, just so you know, Nikki - the answer isn't at the bottom of a bottle!" Brie shouted as she walked after Nikki down the stairs.

"I don't go to these parties to drink, chica. I go for the boys." Nikki winked at her sister and opened the front door.

"Good luck finding one that doesn't screw you because he thinks you're Brie."

Slamming her front door, Nikki walked out to the limo that awaited her. Climbing in, she greeted her friends and they were off. But, as much fun as she knew they would have, she kept thinking about what Brie had said to her. She really did want to settle down, start a family, and she had just always assumed that they would come in the same package. Now - now was a different story. Nikki couldn't even imagine finding a man who would respect her enough to actually father her children. It just seemed impossible.

* * *

_I know that this chapter probably didn't satisfy your wants...it was late and I just really wanted to post it before people began complaining about it. c: Anyways, I hope that you all did enjoy, and a quick review to let me know your thoughts/suggestions would really help! Thank you. :)_


	5. How to be a Heartbreaker

Welcome to another _stratusfying _update. ;)

Please read & review, give me some feedback and let me know what you liked, didn't liked or if you have any suggestions!

* * *

**CHAPTER FIVE  
**

**-** _How to be a Heartbreaker -_

* * *

Thanksgiving: a day full of thanks and giving. As if the name hadn't already given it away, it was supposed to be peaceful and loving.

But, as you all know - holidays don't always work out like they're supposed to.

Let's say you were single, you had no family nearby and you didn't have enough money to fly out to see them. What could you possibly have to be thankful for?

Randy was setting up his little corner of his dorm with a tablecloth and some Chinese take-out when he heard a knock at the door. Surprised, mainly because it was very rare that anyone would come to visit him, he wiped off his hands and went over to answer his door.

"May I help you?" He asked rhetorically.

Maria looked up from her feet, she was shocked at the fact that he was actually home. While she hoped he would be there, she also half-expected him to be off with friends or something.

"Randy," she said in a whisper. "Why aren't you hanging out with friends?"

"I could ask you the same thing." He looked at her with a slight sense of confusion. "What do you need?"

Taking a small breath, Maria thought about what had happened earlier between herself and Eve. She knew that staying in that poisonous room, she would never be able to look at the sunlight directly again.

"I couldn't stay in my room for another second. I just needed someone to talk to." She started shaking her head, thinking about how stupid it sounded when she said it aloud. "I'm sorry, I was just...I don't even know. I'll- I'll just go."

Turning around, Maria tightened the grip she had on her red sweater and felt some tears form in her eyes. It wasn't that Randy didn't want to talk to her, but after the other day, he wasn't sure that he could trust her. He started to fall for her, but when he tried to make a move, she clammed up and went back to her room. He was just confused, and he wasn't sure what to do.

"Maria, wait a second."

Taking in a deep breath of the surrounding air, the redhead turned back with a few tears already drying upon her face. She wasn't exactly sure of what to say, mainly because she had honestly been feeling something deeper for him as well. But, now here she was, on Thanksgiving, about to run back into her dorm room where her roommate would most likely be crying her eyes out.

"Don't you want to stay?" Randy asked, praying that her answer would come sweetly afterwards.

Suddenly, her heart didn't feel as heavy anymore. He had that kind of affect on people, she assumed. Letting go of the pain that had been eating her alive, she smiled. For the first time that day, she felt a little thankful that she had come to his dorm. She was thankful that he opened the door, and thankful that he invited her to stay when she tried to escape.

Walking back, Maria felt something tighten in her chest - she began to feel something that she hadn't felt in a very long time.

And then, something overcame the both of them. As he watched Maria walk up to him, he began to walk up to her - subconsciously making his way to her. And, before either of them could even possibly have time to think, Maria wrapped her thin arms around the tan man's neck and kissed him.

_Passion_. That's what she was feeling.

* * *

"Maryse!" Ted opened the blonde's front door and put his briefcase on the small table next to the door. He hung his jacket up on the metallic coat-hanger, before he felt somebody run up behind him and nearly jump on his back.

Maryse held onto his shoulders and kissed his neck quickly as he tried to turn around. Laughing, Ted pulled her off of him for a brief second, before she was attacking his lips rather than his neck.

"I missed you." Maryse was now talking, through their attacked lips.

Smiling, Ted nodded. "I missed you too." He pulled away, resting his forehead on hers.

They stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. It was a casual meet-up, but something always felt a little bit more intimate about their greetings. The only difference between this and a regular hangout session between friends, was that this escalated three times as fast, and ended in a less than romantic way.

"Should we take this upstairs?" Maryse felt like she was smiling, but it didn't register to Ted. He was just too distracted.

Without a word, just a simple nod, Maryse walked up the stairs with the man following behind like a sheep. Before they could even count the seconds he'd been in her house, the two lovers were drowning in the lust of their company. It wasn't until Maryse was thrown onto her back, on the bed, that there was an objection.

"Wait." Ted mumbled.

Half-naked the French-Canadian looked up from her peculiar position, confused as to why there was a stopping. "Is everything alright?" She was actually beginning to feel a little violated and exposed, even though he'd seen her in this state before.

"I...I've been lying to you about something." He took a deep breath and rolled off of the blonde. He sat up on the bed, staring off into the distant space, at nothing in particular.

Sitting up as well, Maryse tossed her perfectly styled waves off of her shoulder, and pulled the blankets from the bed up around her body to shield herself. "Teddy...you're making me nervous. What's going on?" She sat very close to him, in fact she had begun to stroke his shoulder as he talked.

Ted flinched at the feeling of her warmth. Her touching any part of him just made him feel guilty for what he was doing to her. He couldn't keep this secret any longer, it had begun to feel like it was taking over him - eating him alive.

"This is really hard to say, and I don't want this to make you look at me any different." Sighing, Ted scratched the back of his neck.

"What's, going, on?" She paused in between every word, emphasizing her angst to know what the big problem with making love to her was.

"This is just really hard to say."

_"Then just say it." _Maryse knew that being cross with him could only make the situation at hand worse, but she couldn't care less. As much as she tried to keep her composure, she knew that with one sentence, he could possibly ruin any chance that they have to be together.

Ted turned back to face Maryse, and he cupped her hands into his own. Once again, he winced at the feeling of her smooth skin, wrapped into his. She was his weakness, and it all just felt so good to have her next to him.

"I'm married."

It only took those two words; those three syllables; that one split second of vocal madness to drive her up the wall. In her right mind, she knew that she should be kicking him out, slapping him in the face and calling the whole thing off right then. But then something slipped out of her mouth, that at the time, she knew she would regret.

"I love you."

Confused, maybe even a little worried, was Ted. He had just confessed the deepest secret to this woman, and she responded with the complete opposite of what he'd expected from her.

"I'm confused - I'm married, and you _love _me?" Standing up, Ted tightened his belt, which he hadn't gotten to taking off yet. "Maryse, I don't know what you're trying to do here, but I'm sorry. I needed to tell you, it was killing me."

Maryse shook her head. "You weren't wearing a wedding ring when we met."

He scoffed. "Are you suggesting that I'm making this up right now?"

"I don't know! Okay, you come in here begging me for sex, and now you're running out and telling me that you're married. What am I supposed to think, Ted?"

There was a slight pause in conversation. Ted continued to dress himself slowly, and Maryse just sat there - confused and a little heartbroken. At one point, he had opened her mouth to say something in return, but he figured it was useless to argue with her. Especially if he knew how it would end. Just as he was finishing with his dress shirt, Maryse stood up to join him.

"Why would you do this to the both of us?" She let her arms drop heavily as she sunk into a depressing slouch. He was about to offer an explanation when she held out her hand to stop him. "You were supposedly married - in love - with another woman this whole time. And you let me fall for you, like an idiot: a fool. I let you into my home, my bed...my heart."

"Maryse..."

"Don't try and make this better." She returned her arms to a crossed position. "You've ruined the night, and I think you should go."

He wanted to voice his mind, but it was no use. He had come and said what needed to be said, the whole time he just prayed that she would somehow forgive him. But, she didn't. And now he was shuffling his belongings together, walking out the front door and stuffing himself into his car. Thinking about what he had just done, and what he knew was coming next, all he could think about was going home - to his wife.

The only thing on both lover's minds at this point: would Ted even tell that third point of the triangle, the wedge between they're affair? As much as the words got tangled in their mouths, they had to say it: his wife.


	6. Two Months

Hi there, my lovelies. :) So awesome that you've decided to drop in and check out this update!

Shout-outs to... _therealchamps, and Guest! _Thanks for reviewing! Shout-outs will continue in the next chapter, so please review!

Please enjoy ~

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

_- Two Months -_

* * *

"Please, just try and say your lines correctly this time!"

_Ugh, newbies. _AJ hated it when the directors decided to bring in new actors and actresses to play the roles of needed positions. First of all, they never knew what to say, or how to say it - they always thought they needed to add their own 'flair' to everything. Just plain annoying.

Taking a deep breath, AJ turned her attention to her right where Dolph was sitting in his chair, getting his hair and make-up done for the next scene. She giggled a little, seeing a man getting make-up put on was always a sight to see. Regardless of his attitude towards it, it just made her laugh.

"April, could you please pay attention to the scene?"

Quickly returning her sight to the people in front of her, AJ blushed. She hated being called by her first name, and she knew that it would be used against her by a certain bottle-blonde later.

"I'm ready." AJ sighed, thinking about the long day ahead of her.

An hour later, once the shoot was over with, AJ stuffed her script under her arm and began walking towards her dressing room. The whole walk, she kept thinking about what Dolph had done the other day around shooting time. The way that he came up to her directly, or the way he kept arguing with her; sure, she was used to the fighting, but now it didn't feel so full of hate. It had actually begun to feel almost...like flirting.

Flirting? No way, there was absolutely no way that AJ Lee had been flirting with Dolph Ziggler - or vice versa. Not to mention the fact that they are both hopeless when it comes to relationships, they both also hate each other. As if that wasn't enough to destroy the romantic mood that the media had conjured up.

Throwing her jacket over her thin, freezing arms, AJ muttered to herself. It was always so cold inside of the studios, whether or not the whether outside agreed. Just as she was about to finish her walk to her dressing room, she heard her name being called from a distance.

"AJ! Wait up!"

"Why can't you damn people leave me alone?" AJ yelled, turning around - only to see Dolph himself, standing alone in the flesh.

Taken back by her remarks, Dolph covered his heart with his hand, trying to seem offended. "Why, Miss Lee. That it no way to converse with a fellow co-worker." Smirking, Dolph laughed.

"What do you want," asked AJ, crossing her arms.

Pursing his lips together, Dolph tapped his chin repeatedly with his forefinger. "Well, for starters I would like my own mansion, instead of these raggedy hotel rooms we're forced to survive in, and -"

"I meant from me you dumbass."

After being interrupted, Dolph chuckled a tad bit. Hearing her voice grow in anger was a pleasant sound, one that meant he was winning. Even if he wasn't exactly sure what game they were competing against each other to win.

"The boss wants to see us in his office. Our managers and your publicist is in there right now."

The idea that AJ could possibly get yelled at - or worse, fired - scared the living hell out of her. She knew as well as everybody did, that a spot in this movie was a privilege, and her recent behavior hadn't exactly lived up to the idea of her being grateful for a spot. But, in all it wasn't that she was _ungrateful_, she just wasn't quite sure how she was supposed to show the workers that she was indeed grateful. Honestly, any girl who grew up on the street and in vans would only dream of being an international celebrity, but as she knew, not everyone got that chance.

Together, AJ and Dolph scurried along to the boss' office, where they had their suspicions. Entering the room was the hardest, however.

"Ladies first," said Dolph, gesturing to the door with his hand as he bowed down.

Smirking, AJ crossed her arms. "Then why haven't you gone in yet?" Teasing aside, AJ waltzed into the room, leaving Dolph momentarily stricken with the remark by her.

As the two celebrities took their seats directly ahead of the director, the room remained silent. The only sound being made, was that of AJ's heart, thumping repeatedly in her chest.

"Dolph, April. I'm glad you two could make it into my office. Your managers and I have been discussing the publicity of this movie, and we've come to an overwhelming decision about it's fate." Crossing his fingers, the man leaned back far enough in his chair that Dolph could hear a loud crack in the joints of the chair's legs.

Stepping forward, AJ's publicist put her clipboard down on the desk. "We've come to a unanimous decision." Raising her finger, the woman, who was well into her early forties, pointed at the seated pairing. "You two must date in order for the movie's fame to rise."

That was enough for the two seated adults to rise from their positions and exclaim a unison, "What!"

Taken back by the loud rebuttal, the three people with authority twisted their lips in careless thought.

"Like we said, this is the best thing for the production of the movie. It'll only last until right before the premiere, then you two can break-up if you choose."

Dolph looked at his manager, then back at the director who only offered a sort shrug of his shoulders in response.

"You're kidding us, right. You can't really expect AJ and I to _date_, even if it's just for the movie."

"Exactly! I mean, isn't the graphic kissing scene enough to hold us over until the movie comes out?" AJ panicked. Never before had the thought of actually dating this guy come across her mind. Looking at her publicist for an escape, she crossed her fingers in desperation. "I will get down on my hands and knees," she pleaded, "as long as we don't have to do this."

Rubbing her temples, the older publicist shook her head. "How about you two stop acting like spoiled brats and think about the benefit this will all have on the movie? Millions of people will come around to see what a great movie this is after they all see the chemistry you two present to the world! Just think about that, let that settle in."

The duo sat expressionless. They were angry, upset and all together scared. The only thought running through both of their minds, was how on earth were they supposed to act like they like each other, when they both know that they are their own enemies? Nobody can put that kind of playful hate aside, no matter how much the movie would benefit from it.

"How long will we have to keep this up?" Dolph asked, trying to breath a little easier.

"The next two months. But, I can sure you that it will go by fast, and the result will be worth every minute."

After being dismissed, AJ and Dolph walked silently out of the room. They both avoided eye contact until they reached their dressing rooms. They could hear the amount of paparazzi crowding around them, and they both knew what they had to do. But, the minute AJ saw Dolph leaning in towards her mouth, she quickly adverted to a warm hug.

After all, who said that kissing on the first date was necessary?

* * *

Opening up to a group of people was hard enough if you were just nervous, but having a deadly fear of public presentations was probably the worst thing that could happen when "Present Your Speech Day" rolled around every year in English class.

Kelly was terrified of public speaking. Even if it were just greeting a crowd, or simply introducing herself: the whole thing scared her to death.

And, now here came that dreaded day. All of the advanced English students lined up their bodies in a formal line to present their hard work, while Kelly just stood four feet from the back of the line, praying that she gets to wait it out long enough that the bell rings before she even has the chance to present.

However, this time everything would change.

Turns out that after learning that many students like Kelly had waited it out long enough that they only had to present it to the teacher the next day in tutoring, the English teachers decided to randomly draw names from a cup. And, as if it were poetic justice, of course the name "Kelly Blank" was drawn first.

So, here she was. A petite blonde, standing in front of a class of about one hundred students, sweating and panting as she recited the words to the speech that she had memorized.

It felt like it took her an eternity to finish, when in fact she had sped through it fast enough that everybody in the class almost finished in one day. Feeling a slight bit accomplished, the brunette hurried out of class once the bell rang and headed towards the library.

After their first meeting, Kelly and Cody had been going out of their way to arrange for more time that they could spend together. Not wanting to ruin the blooming friendship they were having, they only ever met up at the school's library, never anywhere else. Yes, of course hanging out at one or the other's dorm rooms would be fun and probably more exciting, but they couldn't rush this - it had to be something worth their time.

Quickly pacing herself, Kelly made her way to the glass doors of the school's library. Looking through the two-way window, Kelly saw Cody sitting alone in the back corner reading another old classic novel. Smiling to herself, she picked up her courage and walked into the cold, silent room. He didn't take notice to her until she was nearly standing right over him, but the minute his eyes were on her, to the both of them, the whole world seemed to stop around them.

"Took you long enough to get here, Blank." Cody loved teasing the blonde, despite his best efforts to stop.

"Maybe you should get me a watch then, Rhodes."

Cody smiled and nodded his head. "Maybe I will, if you keep popping up here late like this."

"Talk to my English teacher if you have a problem."

Smiling, Cody moved his chair a little closer to Kelly. "All of that behind us, how was your day, really?"

"Fine, I guess. This whole 'Public Speech Day' is probably the worst day of the year, by far."

"What about the day where the cafeteria serves meatloaf to the people who can't afford to eat out?"

Throwing her head back in laughter, Kelly covered her mouth to avoid being too loud. "It's always on that day that I forgot my wallet somewhere."

The next three hours were filled with casual, innocent and friendly chatting. The both cherished any time that they had to spend together, and usually that time came after their last classes of the day.

"Well, I think that this whole meeting up in the library stuff should expand into more than it is," Cody remarked, "I just think that maybe we should hang out at different places."

Smiling foolishly, Kelly turned to face him. "And, what happened to our original deal about not meeting up anywhere but this?"

"C'mon, Kelly. It doesn't have to be anything more than a simple cup of coffee."

They both stood there silently, intent on not being the first one to break the thickening silence. Often talking about things that made her uncomfortable made Kelly feel worse than she already did. But, perhaps it was being consumed by his good looks, or his sweet charm that changed her mind.

"Just a cup of coffee," said Cody, breaking the elongated silence.

With one brief sigh, Kelly crossed her arms across her chest. Of course, she'd love to be around Cody in a setting that was filled with books and old people telling everyone to be quiet, but something inside of her begged her to stay.

But, as it usually does, her mouth spoke for her heart instead of her mind.

"Make that two cups of coffee."

* * *

So, there's the next chapter. :)

Please let me know what your thoughts are, even if you don't have a FF account! Anonymous reviews are always welcome. c:

Up next is a longer chapter, _I promise_.


	7. Right Here, Right Now

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

_- Right Here, Right Now -_

* * *

Sitting down on her couch, staring up at the ceiling, Eve waited for something exciting to happen. It had been nearly a week since she had learned of her father's brain tumor, and nothing was going right anymore.

So far this year, she had lost Kelly, Randy and now Maria - her own roommate - probably hated her. The only thing keeping the brunette from going off of the deep end was knowing that her younger sister, Raquel was coming to visit her this afternoon for Thanksgiving.

Eve stood up off of the couch and wandered over to the kitchen, where she poured herself a hot cup of coffee and took deep breaths to calm herself. She wrapped her sweater around her mid-section so that it was a little tighter; the weather was beginning to make everything surrounding her feel like winter again.

Thanksgiving was supposed to be a time of happiness, but all Eve's mind kept coming to was the fact that her father could be dying, and there was nothing she could do to help him.

Blowing on the rising steam of her coffee cup, Eve took a sip, only to be surprised by the extreme heat of the liquid. And, just when she thought she was used to drinking and eating hot things, there she goes burning herself again: just like she had when she was a child.

_Ding-dong._

The sound startled the brunette. She almost had forgotten for a second about her younger sister, but the image quickly resumed in her mind.

"Rocky," Eve greeted, using her sister's old nick-name.

Smiling, Raquel wrapped her arms around her older sister, giving her a sweet and gentle squeeze. "I missed you _hermana_."

"I missed you too. Come inside."

Setting her large bag aside, Raquel looked around the room and noticed the large, clean area in question. It differed extremely from the small corner of her parent's old house that she had grown used to.

"Wow, Eve. This place really is gorgeous." Smiling, Raquel looked at her sister. "You really live here?"

Nodding, the brunette walked a little further out. "I live here with Maria, my roommate. She texted me: letting me know that she wouldn't be back tonight, so you can sleep in her bed if you'd like."

"I'll check it out, later. But, first I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"It's about Dad..."

"Then save it."

Rolling her eyes, the youngest Torres sister walked up to her sibling, resting her hand on her own hip. "Eve, I know that it's a touchy subject, but come on. He's our father."

Eve shook her head and walked into her bedroom, and sat on her bed. "It isn't easy talking about painful things. That's why I'm choosing not to."

"Oh, Dios mío Eve! I've been sitting alone in my room for days. I need someone to talk to about this, and you're the only one I've got." Raquel knelt down in front of Eve, in front of the brunette's bed. She gently placed her hand upon her sister's knee, trying to reassure her that it wasn't going to hurt - talking about this. "Please..."

"Fine - but, no crying. I absolutely hate it when people cry."

* * *

Of course it was just a kiss. Well, at least that's how it started. But, somehow things began to change.

The action moved slowly into Randy's bedroom, doors began slamming and pillows and sheets were thrown from the bed. The kissing traveled from lips to necks to stomachs and galore. Neither of them had really felt something like this before, usually it was just casual. But this felt like it was something more than that.

It felt passionate - real.

An hour later, they were tangled up in each others limbs. However, they weren't in any rush to become untangled. They thoroughly enjoyed this moment.

"Happy Thanksgiving."

Randy looked down at the redhead and smiled sugarly. She looked gorgeous wrapped in sheets in his arms. And, not to mention how flawlessly she smiled up at him as well.

"Happy Thanksgiving to yourself." Randy kissed the top of the girl's head.

"What does that make us?" Maria asked, snuggling into Randy's neck.

"What does what make us?"

Giggling, Maria kissed his shoulder. "This, us right now. What does all of this make us to each other?"

Smiling even brighter, Randy shrugged slightly so that he wouldn't hurt her head, which was still resting on his collarbone. "Maybe we're just dating now."

"Sex, then a first date." Laughing, Maria rolled off of him. "I actually like that."

"You know, we could actually have our first date right now."

Confused, Maria burrowed her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

Gesturing over to the coffee table full of Chinese take-out, Randy shrugged. "It's better than nothing, right?"

"You're so lucky that I love orange chicken."

Randy threw on a pair of boxers and gave Maria a large t-shirt to wear. Putting it on, Maria could smell his fresh Irish Springs cologne, and she smiled. She loved that scent, more than any of the others. It was beginning to feel like Randy was becoming irresistible to her, and she couldn't imagine being with anybody else.

Smiling, Maria waltzed over to the coffee table and grabbed a small white box of orange chicken. Grabbing a set of chopsticks, she began to devour it, making Randy laugh at the sight.

"What's so funny?" She asked with a mouth full of food.

Shaking his head, Randy sat down across from her. "You're cute."

"Shut up," she swallowed, "I'm not cute."

"Says who? You?"

"Yes, says me. And, I'd appreciate it if you oblige." Maria smiled cautiously back at the tanned man. She was always like this, but she didn't want to scare him off that fast.

Randy shook his head. "Okay, you're right. You aren't cute."

Now, that was a little hurtful. Maria gave the man a set of wide eyes, and a confused dropped jaw.

"You're beautiful."

* * *

If there was one thing in the entire world that could make Maryse forget about something painful, it was a good manicure.

"I can't believe he was married." Rosa sighed; seeing her best friend so stressed was hurting her.

"_Is_. He still is married." Maryse corrected her friend, interrupting the thoughts.

Blowing on her painted nails, Rosa shook her head. "He's pathetic, such a waste of space. You deserve a lot better than him."

"But, I don't want anything except him."

Rosa nodded. "Maryse, he's just a guy. Besides, it wasn't like you two were anything serious."

There was a slippery silence that filled the beauty parlor as the two women sat together quietly. The peaceful, soundless notion left as the bell on the front door sounded and a beautiful woman walked into the room.

"Hi!" She exclaimed, extremely excited to be in the area. "I have an appointment scheduled for noon."

Mocking the woman, Rosa hopped up and down quickly in her seat. "Hi, I'm Mrs. Peppy. How is everybody today?"

Giggling and rolling her eyes, Maryse looked over at the woman.

"And, what is your name?" Asked the lady at the front desk.

"Caroline. Caroline DiBiase."

Perhaps it was the shock, or maybe just the pure embarrassment, but Maryse suddenly couldn't air that was enough to fill her lungs. The room felt too small to hold the mass of women that filled it.

Maryse's eyes grew wider and she was in complete silence. There wasn't a single person on this earth that could have knocked her back into reality, but she found the energy to turn it all around.

Caroline walked past the two women and seated herself in the last seat down the row. She didn't look upset, so Maryse guessed that she hadn't found out about the affair yet.

Confused, Rosa crossed her arms and cocked her head. "Wasn't Ted's last name DiBiase or something like that?"

Nodding, the blonde felt tears forming in her eyes. "Yeah, something like that."

It was one thing to think about him having a wife. All she wanted was to picture this woman as a man-stealing, crazy, over protective lady. Maryse could imagine her having a face full with anger and acne, and her body to be small and plump. But all of that was only the opposite. She was gorgeous, she looked happy and her face was clear as the sky on a sunny day. She was slim, yet fit and everything about her screamed positive.

Maryse now understood why this woman was the one of Ted's dreams.

She was just his booty-call. She meant nothing to him. Caroline was his world, she is his every breath.

"Ryse, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."

Quickly wiping an almost fallen tear from below her eye, she stood up. "I have to go, I have a lot to do." After her words, she grabbed her purse, paid for the manicure and dashed out of the parlor, faster than she's ever done before.

Reaching her car, Maryse threw her head down onto the steering wheel, letting out a sob. Her heart felt literally broken, and her chest was throbbing. She imagined what their life was like, happy and full of lust.

She wouldn't get that. She would never experience such a joy.


End file.
